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Since this off-season has been very quiet so far for the Cowboys, other then the resigning of Cory Procter. I thought a few videos would put a smile on our faces.

This video is from Tashard Choices Georgia Tech days. Watching it makes those who have mentioned trading him not want to anymore. A lot of passion in his voice. Give this man the ball more. Also makes you wish the season opened today.

This video is from the Cowboys locker room. Not exactly sure when it was taken, but it’s something new that Tashard Choice just put on his page a week ago. Love watching these videos because I love how much fun they have and I can’t help but laugh as I hear them all laughing at each other.

Hello to all. It’s me TD, and I would just like to take a brief moment to say hello again and welcome to my weekly column: Forward Progress. I will be sharing my thoughts and opinions with all of you, every Thursday, over the course of the roller coaster that is the NFL season. I will never claim to be all-knowing as this is just a place to speak my humble opinions and I hope that you all will correct me when you believe I am wrong and share your opinions on my opinions. Of course, I would like to thank Lone Star Struck for this amazing forum that all of us Cowboys fans should be thankful for. It continues to be an honor to be a part of the great team here at LSS!

It’s funny that I mentioned opinionsin my small introduction above, because that is exactly one of the things that I want to discuss. With training camp looming like a beacon of light to illuminate the darkness that is the off-season, I am reminded of all things good….and bad about football season. The good, well that’s easy, it’s optimism, it’s excitement, it’s the sharing of Sundays with family and friends, and the thrill of victory when our Dallas Cowboys pull it out in the end. The bad, well, it’s pretty simple…..the fair weather fans, the unwarranted ripping and criticizing of the players and coaches after a poor performance, and yes, the actual sadness of defeat when the good guys do lose.

There is no other sport as popular as football, at least here in the United States, and with all of that comes the wide range of things that come along with that kind of passion, you just learn to accept it I guess. I try my very hardest to not be a fair weather fan, but I do get really upset when we lose just like everyone else. I will rip someone for poor effort or quitting, but not for making mistakes. I just want to be clear that I am not saying anyone is a better fan than anyone else, because that is usually what people say as a defense if you criticize them for criticizing the Cowboys, if that makes sense.

I am just humbly sitting here in my living room, wondering how long will the honeymoon last, and how long until MySpace and Facebook and the chat rooms are calling for Romo to be cut and Wade to be fired? It’s just an amazing dynamic to witness over the course of the season. It’s going to be interesting, as the NFL did us no favors, and we will have to be ready to go as a team from the time we break camp, or we could be looking at a tough start to the season and we could see many seats available on the bandwagon, as people jump off as fast as they can. I am confident we will weather the early quarter of the season, and hopefully the worst case scenario will be a 2-2 start. Either way, I will be right here, riding shotgun on the Dallas Cowboys bandwagon. I hope the majority of Cowboys fans will do the same, and not let the small percentage of the negative fans ruin our spirit and/or take away our hope.

Another thing I was thinking about was playmakers. Who in your opinion is the Cowboys top playmaker? The one guy that is going to be there week in and week out, making big time plays when the team needs them the most? A dynamic, dominating player that makes the other teams gameplan around him?

To me, it is simple, there is no other player on our team like that other than DeMarcus Ware. He is a superstar that requires constant double and even triple teams at times to stop him, or should I say try and stop him, as he still led the NFL in sacks last year, and was robbed of the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award by the anti-Cowboys media.

Yes, Romo is the QB and he touches the ball on every snap, and is an incredible playmaker, but let’s face it: Tony has to prove some things this year, he has to hold on to the football better, cut down on turnovers, and be consistent over the entire 16 game schedule to take his place among the “elite” quarterbacks. I believe he will do those things, and Felix Jones will get some chatter as a top playmaker with his big play ability and speed, but as of today….RIGHT NOW, DeMarcus is the team’s top playmaker.

Taking a quick glance around the NFC East and you see it is not a division filled with big play ability, you have a few speed guys like DeSean Jackson of the Eagles, and Santana Moss of the Redskins seems to always have his best games against the Cowboys, but mostly it is a division built around defense, grinding running games and above average quarterback play. That is why I don’t understand why people think that we are going to be so ineffective without “the player who will go unnamed” at the WR position. I have nothing against the guy, but you can win this division without the original 81, and you can also NOT win it with him.

Quick Hits:

Micheal Vick is reportedly hoping to speak with Commisioner Roger Goodell about a partial re-instatment allowing him to participate in a teams training camp while awaiting a final decision from the league, similar to what Pac Man had last year for the Cowboys. I just can’t see an NFL team giving him a shot. I may be completely wrong but I just don’t see any team wanting to go through the media scrutiny and the criticism from the public, just to have him in their camp. I Guess we’ll see.

Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams is undergoing training to become a massage therapist, according to the New York Times. Basically more well known for his off-the-field pot smoking antics than his football prowess on the field, Williams is looking towards his post-football career in holistic healing and medicine. He said he plans to play football for two more years and then retire. I was always a huge Ricky fan, and I give him credit for getting his life back in order. I hope he finds happiness in his career choice and stays healthy to finish out his career.

Former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman has signed a one year deal with the upstart UFL’s Las Vegas franchise. He becomes the league’s marquee player, which is not saying much. The UFL’s inaugural season will last six games and end on Thanksgiving weekend. I am predicting that the UFL’s second season will be…..never.

One of the many things I love about the Cowboys is I am sure to get my money’s worth all year long! I enjoy this roller coaster ride of bye week vacations, spring training, trouble or… ? One of the things I love about YOU, the fans is your passion. I watch all the shows and surfed all the sites. I know what the media says about us and our team… We’re on the “Best Fans” top 10 list but well below where one might think.

As you know, I love fans. I talk to fans across the US regularly. Not just Cowboys fans but fans for every team and I know what they say, too! As far as I’m concerned, that opinion is the one that matters. WE – are #1 – just like our favorite team! We stick with our team year after year: DO OR DIE! It’s the thrill of victory on the edge of our seats constant drama and more that captivates us year after year.

In the real world, I spend most of my time motivating others to set and accomplish goals. One of the things I teach them is to keep records and review the records from when they had that kind of success. So, after work, I spent some time surfing and watching video from the days we enjoyed most. For me, that’s mostly the ’90s. I was fascinated by the team lead by what is now known as “The Triplets”.

No matter what your favorite era, it’s not easy to remember and want it again so much for so long. Knowing that you’ve come close, oh so very close… To be left with “Next year”

The difference between our favorite time and now?

WE – LOVED – THEM

We still do. No matter who your ‘All Time Favorite’ is or when they played – you still do. Your heart aches a little because that person no longer plays. And here we are today, THIS season with the Cowboys: right here – right now. Do we LOVE this team?

I dropped my beef with T.O. I even own a jersey now. I did not do it because he earned it or deserved it. It was not done for me because I was perfectly happy feeling the way I did about the whole situation. I let it go for the team.

What is going to get them through? What is going to bring this team together? Get them healthy? OUR LOVE!! OUR SUPPORT!! OUR VOICE!! It’s YOU Cowboys fans YOU!! You will be the motivation they need! GET LOUD MY PROUD COWBOYS FRIENDS!! GET LOUD!!! I wanna see your STAR!! This website has some awesome graphics! That’s always a great start! It’s up to US to show them we care and we WANT IT FOR THEM!

It’s up to us to believe when it seems no one else will… Yes, I watch all the shows, vids and I read the articles. I know what they are saying and I know you know what I’m saying *wink*

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish a very Merry Christmas to Kelly and her family. Kelly (Starstruck) is an amazing lady with talent like I’ve never seen. Her passion for The Dallas Cowboys shows in every thing she creates. She does so much for Cowboys fans and puts so many hours of work into this blog site and the graphics she creates. I am constantly in awe of Kelly.

We’ve been so fortunate lately to begin to really acquire some good writing on here. It’s a terrific group of people. I am so pleased for Kelly’s sake that this site is becoming so successful and attracting such awesome people. It’s Kelly’s standard of excellence that has set the bar and is bringing these great people her way.

I met Kelly on myspace just a little less than 2 years ago and I have grown to know her and love her as a very very close friend. I can’t express my affection for her in words. We have a deep love for our boys (we each have an only child) and we have a ridiculous love for The Dallas Cowboys. In having that in common, we had a foundation to build a beautiful friendship and mutual respect for each other. I feel incredibly blessed to be closing out 2007 with Kelly as a daily part of my life.

I know you all appreciate her as much as I do so if you would just shout out in the comments here and let her know, it will mean the world to her.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO MY SWEET PRECIOUS FRIEND.

I can’t wait to see what you’re going to come up with next. It just keeps getting better all the time.

This year has definitely been one to remember. Not only has the team been successful, but so has this website I created only a year ago. Maybe they go hand in hand, maybe the team’s success has lead to the success of many things, whatever it is – I am thankful. I am so glad to be a part of this place for Cowboys fans to come together.

I think a lot of us feel the same, this year has been different. We have been able to communicate with Cowboys fans across the nation, even across the world! Whether you believe it or not, the fans make a great difference in the world of sports. We all share a great passion for the silver and blue and we couldn’t be more proud of our ‘Boys.

No matter where the future takes us, we will stand behind this great team like we always have. They have great potential to go all the way, but I say lets take it one game at a time.

From everyone here at lonestarstruck.com, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and look forward to the great years ahead for this phenomenal team.